In early May 2025, my sister Bich and I traveled to Huế, Vietnam, for a five-day charity mission that changed both of us. What began as a simple desire to give back became a powerful awakening to the scale of poverty and hardship in the central provinces. The farther we went from the city and into the surrounding villages, the more visible the struggles became. We met families living day to day, elderly women with no one left to care for them, and students forced to choose between continuing their education or working to support their families.

The Five-Day Timeline

🗓️ DAY 1: Hope in a Hot Meal

Location: Huế Central Hospital

On our first day, we witnessed family members sleeping on concrete floors while caring for their sick loved ones. In Vietnam, hospital meals are not provided, and many caretakers, having left their jobs, are forced to prioritize medical costs over their own food.

Impact: We provided 600 hot meals to patients and their family caretakers.
Key Takeaway: “The gratitude in their eyes left a lasting imprint on us. That day, food became more than nourishment. It became hope.”

Meals provided to patients at hospital in Huế

👵 DAY 2: The Gift of Presence

Location: Chùa Diệu Viên, Chùa Tịnh Đức, and Chùa Liên Trì

We visited three quiet temples to support 83 elderly women who live there, many having no children or family remaining. Their isolation was heartbreaking, and their stories were profound.

Impact: Delivered food and essential supplies to 83 elderly women.
Key Takeaway: “Their isolation reminded us that sometimes the greatest gift we can give is our presence.”

💪 DAY 3: Resilience and Support

Location: Quảng Phú Community Center

We met twenty-two resilient women facing tremendous hardship—many were single mothers or women abandoned by their spouses, working multiple jobs yet still struggling to feed their children.

Impact: Provided food supplies and financial assistance to 22 women and their families.
Key Takeaway: “Their resilience in the face of adversity reminded us of our mother’s strength when she first arrived in the United States.”

🏡 DAY 4: You Are Not Forgotten

Location: Outskirts of Huế near Thiên An Monastery

We traveled to the remote outskirts of the city to support twelve struggling families in very modest homes, some lacking basic sanitation. One mother told us she felt forgotten by the world.

Impact: Delivered dried food and financial support to 12 families.
Key Takeaway: “Seeing her relief... reminded us why we came. We wanted every family to know that they are not forgotten.”

🎓 DAY 5: Investing in Dreams

Location: Hai Bà Trưng High School

On our final day, we visited Hai Bà Trưng High School and met twenty-two academically strong, financially disadvantaged students facing the possibility of dropping out because their families could not afford upper secondary school costs. We offered a message that their dreams matter, delivering this speech to the students:

Dear students, teachers, families, and friends,

Today is a very special day, not only because we are presenting scholarships, but because we are investing in something far more valuable than money. We are investing in you, your future, your dreams, and your potential.

I know that life has not been easy for many of you... Yet despite these hardships, you continue to study hard and achieve remarkable results. That tells me something important about you. You are strong. You are determined. And you believe in something better.

Education is the key that can open doors for you and your family. With knowledge, skills, and good character, you can break the cycle of poverty, not just for yourselves, but for future generations. You have the power to choose your own path and to build a life filled with dignity and hope.

This scholarship is not just about money. It carries a message. You matter. Your dreams matter. And your future is worth fighting for.

One day, when you succeed, and I truly believe you will, I hope you will remember this moment. I hope you will reach out and help the next generation, just as we are helping you today. That is how we build a better future...

So keep studying hard. Keep dreaming big. And never give up. You are not alone.

I believe in you, and I cannot wait to see all that you will become.

Thank you.

— Tri Le

Impact: Awarded full-year scholarships to 22 students.
Key Takeaway: “We offered something deeper than financial aid. We offered a message that their dreams matter.”

The Long-Term Commitment

Witnessing hardship, isolation, and desperation up close made it impossible to return to our lives and pretend we had not seen it.

On our last night, Bich said, “We cannot stop here. This work must continue.”

That conversation became the seed of what is now the Hong Lien Foundation, named in honor of our mother, whose compassion continues through us. What started as a five-day mission became a long-term commitment to invest in children’s education, to fight hunger, to expand access to healthcare, and to restore dignity to people whom society too often leaves behind.

These commitments form the core mission of the Hong Lien Foundation today.

With gratitude,

May 2025 | A Journey of Awakening